


Perspectives

by umgirl2000



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 07:13:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14279733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/umgirl2000/pseuds/umgirl2000
Summary: Originally posted as two different stories- takes place around the engagement in South Africa





	1. Chapter 1

With a pen in my hand, I left the cottage where I had been staying and went to find a quiet place to write. Phyliis was packing, and Trixie was out preparing herself for what would need to be done with her in charge of Hope Clinic. I knew I wanted to take the time to write before I boarded the ship to return home to Poplar- for seasickness and writing would not mix very well. So many things had happened on this trip to South Africa and I needed and wanted to remember them. Phyllis’s photos would help, but writing would be my personal reminder.

 

Not many people knew I wrote in this leatherbound journal of mine. Phyllis had some idea for she had seen me place the book back in its safe spot time and time again. I never chose to write it in our room- instead finding a quiet nook or cranny at Nonnatus to do so. I had started it soon after I arrived in Poplar when a case shook me to my core. It had involved a mother giving birth to twins and one arrived stillborn. I had to find someway to work out my grief and frustration over the case, and when I saw the journal in a shop window it was my answer. Since that time, I wrote in my journal when the mood struck me about cases, living at Nonnatus House and Tom.

 

As I settled on a spot near the clinic, I smiled at the sight of my left hand. A grass ring was now there- the announcement to the world that I was engaged to the Reverend Tom Hereward. When I had found him with the cake tin from Nonnatus House, I wasn’t expecting anything. He had his hands behind his back and I rambled on to him about not wanting to see the cake when we were at the Bay of Biscay- throwing up on his trousers once was enough for me. Once I mentioned it, he grabbed the tin from me. Once he said my name, I knew something was different about this conversation. He gave me the most sweetest speech about how his hand was the only one to touch this blade of grass. He also promised me a gold ring and diamond, but asked if I was willing to accept this grass ring for now. I told him “yes, I will.” He then officially proposed to me and we shared the most wonderful kiss- passionate, gentle and totally romantic. It was in fact our first kiss here in South Africa….

 

Before we left Nonnatus House, Sister Julienne told me that Tom and I must respect the boundaries. It was easier while we were on the ship since I stayed so sick. Once we arrived at the clinic, little moments began to appear. One such moment flashed in my mind and I began to write it down. It had happened in the clinic the first morning- a sick infant was fretting and I volunteered to give it the glucose and water solution. Tom had came in to check on the water situation and we had a wonderful conversation which ended with him admitting to me, “In my mind, I’m kissing you very gently.” to which I gracefully replied, “I’m kissing you back.” I could still feel his eyes on me even after the conversation ended.

 

After a few hours on the beach- when I let my frustrations soar about how I was feeling about the trip, Tom and I remet in the room we used for chapel. From the the moment he said, “hey you” I knew he forgave me. Once the apology was said, I found it hard not to walk into his arms and kiss him. But somehow, we kept our boundaries. He mentioned he wanted to make one of the new fathers a foreman, but he had TB- and was there anything he needed to know about it. I let him know what I knew, and he took it to heart. Since the conversation we had about “menstruation”, Tom has become more open about learning about medicine. He told me that it was only fair that he learn about my line of work since I already knew so much about his….

 

From then on, it was business as usual. Even when Sister Winifred and I took lunch out to the crew, we managed to respect the boundaries. But once we became engaged, we wondered how to approach it. We walked back to the clinic with our fingers intertwined and him holding the tin. I could feel Sister Julienne’s eyes on us as we approached her. I could tell she was not pleased with us showing affection and breaking the boundaries. As she was about to protest, Tom placed the tin on a nearby table and told her, “Barbara and I just got engaged. I hope you can allow us to show some sort of affection now.” Sister Julienne looked at me, and I nodded while extending my left hand. Sister Julienne smiled at the ring and said, “Yes, I think I can allow it, but just don’t overly do it.” The glance she gave me made me blush as I remembered her walking in with Sister Mary Cynthia after the brylcreem incident.

 

The news of us getting engaged spread through the clinic like wildfire. I can never remember receiving so many hugs from people. Everyone seemed so pleased for us, even Trixie. Trixie and I had finally found our way back to the friendship we had shared on this trip- a friendship that had been strangled because of Tom. Now things were better than before and I couldn’t have been happier.

 

As I finished writing the memories down on paper, I looked up and found Tom standing before me. In his hand was a gorgeous white Lilly. He gave me a bashful smile and said, “A beautiful flower for my fiancee.” I smiled at him, stood and took the flower from him. I leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss. “Thank you.” It would be a lovely reminder of the place where Tom had proposed to me for their had been lilies growing nearby.

 

***************  
The Lilly is now dried and placed in a box of memories. Ticket stubs from movies, the straw from our first date, a sherbet lolly and my grass ring. It has been placed with my things along with my journal to be moved into the parish after today. For today was the day that I would officially become Tom’s wife.


	2. Chapter 2: Tom's Perspective

Reverend Tom Hereward wandered down the beach alone. After the conversation with Trixie, his mind was wandering with different thoughts. Thoughts that he hadn’t expected to have on this trip, but here they were on his mind. The argument with Barbara also weighed heavily on his mind as he realized that she was right about so many things.

 

Barbara Gilbert- the nurse he never saw when she first arrived for his eyes had been on Trixie alone. He saw her in passing at the clinic and helping Trixie get an event ready. He knew she had helped Trixie out on the ins and outs of religious life, but after the engagement ended he had stepped away from Nonnatus house for awhile. For one thing, it was just too painful and for another he had buried himself in church work. It wasn’t until the bus trip last Christmas that something sparked. She had become more actively involved in the church work, and they had had conversations in passing. 

 

Of all things, the first meaningful conversation between them had been about sherbet lollies. Barbara’s love of them had been evident and her joy had been contagious. It was then that Tom began to realize that anytime that she was near him Barbara was always cheerful. He may have surprised her with asking for her help with the Easter bonnet parade, but she had jumped in with both feet. He found her attitude refreshing as he watched her work on the hats knowing that this may be the best that these kids would have. 

 

Barbara’s joy could also be turned into a tenacity to fight for what she believed. Her argument earlier reminded him so much of the case of the father with leukemia. She wasn’t willing to stop fighting till the end for the best for them. She had taught him so much just by living out her actions. After that case ended, the two still found time to talk about daily life. As the daughter of a curate, she understood the demands of his day. It had surprised him how natural it felt to ask her to go to the Indian restaurant. And, it had been an enjoyable evening. So enjoyable, he didn’t hesitate to find the time to ask her out again. 

 

Trixie never ceased to surprise him- this conversation had been the latest. But Trixie had almost inadvertently ended his relationship with Barbara before it had really began. It showed another side of Barbara- her loyalty to friends. It amazed him that she would be willing to end it with him just to protect her friendship with Trixie. The few days apart from her had hurt, but in the end they walked away from it stronger. 

 

Once they had the blessing of Trixie, things had been going smoother. The pill had become one of the things that they had to work through along with better boundaries. He knew he was the only boyfriend that Barbara had had so it was up to him to show her the ropes. After one eventful night at Nonnatus house, they both came to the conclusion that nights like that couldn’t happen again. They would find a way to see each other, but not on the sly when Barbara was on call. 

 

Proposing to Barbara had been a faint idea in his head before coming on this trip. He knew where the ring was he had given Trixie and he had a vague idea of when he was wanting to do it. He didn’t pack the ring in his luggage since he doubted he would propose to her, but now he wondered if he was wrong in his thinking. His mind flashed to the scene of her holding the baby in her arms in the nursery. He could easily picture it as Barbara holding their child in his arms. Between that memory and his conversation with Trixie, he knew if he felt it was the moment, he would ask this wonderful girl to be his wife.

 

********************

 

The moment had come. Watching Barbara carefully traipse over the rocks, Tom realized that it was now or never. With the advice of Trixie weighing on his mind, Tom bent down and grabbed a piece of grass. He would go with his gut and propose to this woman and hoped he said it right. If Barbara was the girl he believed and knew she was, the ring wouldn’t matter. All that would matter to her was the fact that he asked her.

 

**********************

 

As the two walked back to the clinic, their hands intertwined, Barbara and Tom found the time to catch up on so many things. Tom had her laughing at the antics of Fred and the crew as they laid down the pipeline. Barbara, who was nearly in tears, told the story of the c-section and how Trixie had saved the day. Barbara then admitted that Trixie had volunteered to stay behind and help with the clinic till Dr. Myra would be able to return. 

 

Tom thought of the girl he was once engaged to and realized that she had grown so much since they had ended things. Trixie was now stronger and would make someone a fine wife, but just not him. He had found his future wife in Barbara- the girl he almost never saw for Trixie. She had become his best friend, his partner and his confidante. With his job being the way it was, it helped him more than he could admit having a girl understand his way of life.


End file.
